Sooners Take Tourney Title With 6-2 Win Over No. 3 Yellow Jackets

FULLERTON, Calif. - Oklahoma wrapped up a Kia Baseball Bash tournament sweep on Sunday with a 6-2 victory over third-ranked Georgia Tech at Goodwin Field. The Sooners finished tournament play as the only undefeated team in the field with impressive wins over 13th-ranked Cal State Fullerton and USC. OU continued its series dominance over Tech as it won its sixth win versus no defeats. The Sooners' (8-1) eighth-straight win is the team's longest winning streak since the 2000 season when OU won nine in a row. Georgia Tech fell to 6-3 on the year with its third defeat of the tournament.

“Mark Roberts pitched extremely well against a really good offensive club and was really in total control the whole ballgame,” said OU head coach Larry Cochell.

“I'm really excited for the guys to come out here and take three games. All their hard work is really paying off, but we've got a long way to go. This is only the beginning, “ continued Cochell on his team's tournament victory.

Box Score

Senior starting pitcher Mark Roberts (2-1) turned in his best pitching performance of the season. Roberts stifled Tech hitters for eight complete innings and fanned a season high eight batters. After allowing a leadoff double to Tech second baseman Eric Patterson to begin the game, Roberts only allowed two walks and four hits the rest of the way. The only runs he allowed Tech to score came on a two-run homer by rightfielder Jeremy Slayden in the eighth inning.

Oklahoma struck first for the third time in the tournament by spotting four runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. After the first three batters in the lineup reached, junior third baseman Matt Bose (1-for-2) brought two baserunners in with a single to left field. Junior shortstop Brenan Herrera (2-for-4) then brought in a third run with a single to right field to plate junior first baseman Ole Sheldon (1-for-3). With Bose stationed at third base, junior designated hitter Eric Thornton (0-for-1) lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to bring him home.

After giving up the four early runs, Tech starter Andrew Kown (1-1) silenced the Oklahoma bats over the next four innings.

The Sooners welcomed Yellow Jacket relief hurler Jason Neighborgal to the game in the seventh inning and added two more runs to their total. Junior centerfielder Jeff Scuderi (1-for-4) and sophomore second baseman Russell Raley (1-for-3) worked back-to-back walks and were doubled home on a shot to center field by Sheldon.

Oklahoma continues its road swing to begin next week. The Sooners head to Arlington, Texas, to face Texas-Arlington at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Clay Gould Ballpark.